Charles Henry de Soysa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 3 March 1836 Moratuwa, Ceylon |
| Died | 29 September 1890 (aged 54) |
| Resting place | Holy Emmanuel Church |
| Nationality | Ceylonese |
| Education | Colombo Academy, S. Thomas' College, Mutwal |
| Occupation(s) | Tea planter, Industrialist |
| Known for | Philanthropy, Entrepreneurship |
| Spouse(s) | Catherine, Lady de Soysa |
| Children | 8, including Wilfred de Soysa and A. J. R. de Soysa |
| Parent(s) | Mudliyar Jeronis de Soysa Dissanayake and Francesca de Soysa Lamatheni |
| Relatives | Bishop Harold de Soysa (grandson) Bennet Soysa (nephew) A. H. T. de Soysa (cousin) |
Charles Henry de Soysa Dharmagunawardana Vipula Jayasuriya Karunaratna Disanayaka popularly known as Charles Henry de Soysa, JP (3 March 1836 – 29 September 1890) was a Ceylonese entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a pioneering planter, industrialist and was the wealthiest Ceylonese of the 19th century.[1][2] He was instrumental in the establishment of the first Ceylonese bank, the Moratuwa carpenters guild, the Ceylon Agricultural and National Associations. He is widely regarded as the greatest philanthropist of the island for contributions which includes the De Soysa Maternity Hospital, the Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges, the Model Farm Experimental Station and many other institutions and acts of charity,[3][4][5] establishing infant-maternal healthcare and secular education for girls in the country.[6][7][8] He would have been the island's first Knight Bachelor, but having died prior, his widow was given the rare honor of the use of the style and dignity of wife of the Knight Bachelor and was known as Catherine, Lady de Soysa.[9]
- ^ The Story of Ceylon Tea, by Maxwell Fernando (book review), Retrieved 5 December 2014
- ^ Ceylon Tea: The Trade that Made a Nation, Richard Simon, pp. 24 & 97 (Colombo Tea Traders' Association, 2017), ISBN 9789557394008
- ^ Gunawardena, Charles A. (2005). Encyclopedia Of Sri Lanka. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 254. ISBN 9781932705485.
- ^ Great Lives From History: Incredibly Wealthy Archived 19 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine, Howard Bromberg, pp. 263-5 (Salem Pr Inc), ISBN 9781587656675
- ^ Charles Henry de Soysa’s 176th birth anniversary: Philanthropist par excellence, Daily News (Sri Lanka), 1 December 2014
- ^ The baby hospital by Nadeera Seneviratne and Nimna Edirisinghe The Island (Sri Lanka) Retrieved 3 November 2015
- ^ De Soysa Maternity Hospital (Official Website) Retrieved 22 December 2014
- ^ Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon, by Arnold Wright, pp. 117-8 & 552 (Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company) ISBN 978-8120613355
- ^ "The London Gazette, February 2, 1892". thegazette.co.uk. The London Gazette. Retrieved 25 October 2020.